This invention relates to an endless conveyor of the type including modular track units of predetermined lengths which receive and support an endless belt or chain. Such apparatus is useful in manufacturing operations wherein articles are placed at one location on the conveyor and are transmitted by the chain to another location in, for example, a factory.
The invention more particularly relates to an improvement in endless conveyors, built up from modular units wherein the track is fashioned of ultra high molecular weight plastic to reduce weight and size of the apparatus and the units are joined together to a desired total conveyor length. Such weight and size reduction is particularly useful when the apparatus is shipped in an unassembled condition to a factory and when reassembled at a factory. While plastic tracks formed of such plastic materials are known, such as shown by U.S. Pat. No. 4,556,143 issued to P. A. Johnson, endless conveyors formed therefrom exhibit a disadvantage that the track sometimes become warped or bent under the weight of the articles transported by it. A further disadvantage of known plastic track constructions is the relative difficulty in joining them which increases the weight and size of the endless conveyor.